Bloody Sunday Inquiry: Costs

Lord Vivian: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What has been the cost so far of the inquiry into "Bloody Sunday".

Baroness Farrington of Ribbleton: The total costs incurred by the Bloody Sunday Inquiry up to the 31 December 1999 are £13,320,976.

Social Security Budget and National Insurance

Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	By how much the national insurance fund is currently in surplus; what proportion of the social security budget is now funded by national insurance; and whether they have any plans for using any of the fund's current surplus to increase the basic state retirement pension by more than 75 pence a week.

Baroness Hollis of Heigham: The Government Actuary recommends a minimum balance in the National Insurance Fund of 16.7 per cent of benefit expenditure or £7.75 billion for 1999-2000. He estimates that the actual balance at 31 March 2000 will be £13.786 billion. The proportion of the Social Security budget funded by national insurance contributions for 1999-2000 is expected to be 50 per cent. We have already announced the increase for basic state retirement pension for April 2000.

UK Trade with US

Lord Shore of Stepney: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What percentage of the United Kingdom's total visible exports and imports and, separately, of the United Kingdom's invisible exports and imports, were accounted for by trade with the United States in 1978, 1988 and the last complete year; and what measures are being taken by HM Government to increase the United Kingdom's exports to the United States.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: UK trade with the US 
		
			   1988   1998 
			  US World US share US World US share 
			  £ million £ million % £ million £ million % 
			 Exports 
			 Goods 10,704 80,346 13.3 21,702 164,132 13.2 
			 Services 6,255 26,927 23.2 14,106 60,070 23.5 
			  
			 Investment  income 12,648 56,550 22.4 24,153 111,365 21.7 
			 Transfer 151 3,830 3.9 1,428 15,596 9.2 
			  
			 Total 29,758 167,653 17.7 61,389 351,163 17.5 
			   
			 Imports 
			 Goods 10,499 101,826 10.3 24,853 184,897 13.4 
			 Services 4,117 22,970 17.9 10,073 47,817 21.1 
			 Investment  income 13,310 51,984 25.6 28,992 96,191 30.1 
			 Transfer 286 7,348 3.9 1,486 22,122 6.7 
			  
			 Total 28,212 184,128 15.3 65,404 351,027 18.6 
		
	
	(Information for trade, other than in goods, was not broken down by partner country prior to 1988.)
	Her Majesty's Government have been very active in recent years in encouraging more UK exports to the US. For example, in November 1998, the Department of Trade and Industry launched its Export USA programme (now under British Trade International) designed to give small- and medium-sized companies the knowledge and confidence to do business in the US market. Over 100 companies are currently in the programme.
	Export USA is an addition to the full programme of promotional events already organised or supported by British Trade International. These events are designed to increase companies' awareness of the huge opportunities that exist for them in the US as well as helping them to understand various aspects of US business practice. The majority are sectorally focused, these sectors including aerospace, biotechnology, giftware, food and drink, creative and media and IT and electronics. In the coming year, British Trade International will be offering support for over 20 sectorally-focused trade missions to the US and for 99 exhibitions and seminars in the US--the latter being the largest ever programme for US events under the Support for Exhibitions and Seminars Abroad (SESA) scheme.
	In 1999-2000, British Trade International ran over 30 specific US-focused events in the UK. A full programme is planned for 2000-01, specific examples being support for the largest group of UK biotechnology companies to visit the US Bio 2000 event in Boston; support for a visit to the UK by representatives of NASA to tell UK companies about the opportunities for them in the space and related industries; and an ongoing series of workshops on specific topics such as marketing in the US through the Internet, product liability and exhibiting at US trade shows.
	As well as promotional work here in the UK, Her Majesty's Government also have 12 British Consulates across the US (including Denver, which will open shortly), where the commercial staff (now under British Trade International) are very active in UK export promotion, continuing to provide specific and tailored help to UK companies looking to export to the US as well as to identify specific sales leads from US companies that are made available to UK companies via the TradeUK website.

Asylum Applications: Confidentiality

Lord Marlesford: asked the Leader of the House:
	Whether it is in accordance with parliamentary practice not to discuss and debate individual applications for asylum when these are not currently before the courts.

Baroness Jay of Paddington: The Home Office undertakes to keep all applications for asylum confidential, whatever stage they have reached. Provided that the appellant has not himself made the fact of his application public, it is essential that this undertaking be observed, both for the protection of the applicant and to avoid any risk of compromising the decision-making process.

Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention: Verification Protocol

Lord Judd: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is their policy towards the Geneva negotiations for a verification protocol to the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention; and what is their assessment of the risks should such a protocol fail to be agreed.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Completion of a legally-binding protocol to the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention is an important arms control objective for the United Kingdom as it will fill the last remaining gap in provisions covering weapons of mass destruction. The UK is playing a leading role in the Ad Hoc Group negotiations in Geneva, where we chair the sessions on compliance measures. We hope to see substantive progress towards the successful conclusion of a protocol during 2000.

Child Soldiers

Lord Judd: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they endorse the agreements recently negotiated in Geneva designed to help end the use of child soldiers in armed conflict; and what is now their position on ratification of the Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of a Child, which requires governments to take "all feasible measures" to end the deployment of under 18s in conflict situations.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: We welcome the consensus achieved by the UN Working Group on an optional protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict. This is a strong, practical text which clearly establishes that young people under 18 have a right to special safeguards.
	The UK has argued that to stop children as young as 7 or 8 being used as child soldiers, we need standards that will be widely ratified and implemented. We believe that the optional protocol achieves this. We are now looking to see what measures we would need to take to allow the UK to ratify.

Council of Europe Committee of Ministers: Meetings

Lord Judd: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many meetings of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe there have been in the year to 31 January 2000; and how many were attended by British Ministers.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: There have been two meetings of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers in the year to 31 January 2000, one of which was attended by a British Minister. (Lord Williams of Mostyn, then Minister of State at the Home Office, attended the meeting in May 1999.)

Council of Europe Committee of Ministers: Meetings

Lord Judd: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the priority they accord to relations with Russia and other former communist countries is reflected in the attendance record of British Ministers at the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The high priority which the Government attach to their relations with Russia and other former communist countries does not necessarily affect decisions on ministerial attendance at Council of Europe meetings. Decisions on Ministers' attendance at such meetings depend on the priorities of the various calls on their time.

Disability Discrimination Act 1995: Aviation Industry

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What are their plans for bringing the aviation industry within the scope of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: We are currently working with the aviation industry--airlines and airports--and with our disability advisers--the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee--to draw up a voluntary code of practice for the aviation industry covering the transport needs of disabled people. We will be consulting on the draft this summer.
	We are also considering a proposal from the Disability Rights Task Force which recommends that we take a reserve regulation making power to require the aviation industry to comply with the code of practice if the voluntary approach fails.

Oil Shipment Standards: "Erika" Incident

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Given that on inspection the tanker Erika was rejected as unfit for carrying oil safely at sea by two major oil companies, Shell and BP Amoco, but was considered fit for charter by Total Fina, what steps they will take to set tougher standards for the shipment of oil in European Community waters.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: The Government, with the International Maritime Organisation and other EU member states, are considering what additional measures might help prevent a repetition of the "Erika" incident. If we find that additional regulations are necessary, we will pursue them actively through the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), the UN specialist agency responsible for the promotion of maritime safety and the prevention of marine pollution, and the European Union as appropriate.

Common Land and Village Greens

Baroness Howells of St Davids: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What plans they have for reviewing the legislation affecting common land and town and village greens.

Lord Whitty: We have published a consultation paper on common land--Greater Protection and Better Management of Common Land in England and Wales. The paper looks at three key areas: issues concerning the registration of common land and village greens; the consent regime for fencing and other works; and wider management issues. Copies have been placed in the Library of the House. We have invited comments on the paper by 10 April.

Lead Shot Restriction: Entry to Private Premises

Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether an extension of the powers of entry for the enforcement of Environmental Protection (Restriction on the Use of Lead Shot) (England) Regulations 1999 (S.I. 1999/2170) from the police to officials of the Environment Agency or English Nature has to be authorised personally by the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions or whether the decision to extend the powers can be delegated to an official of his department; and what documentary authorisation would need to be shown to the owners of premises by anyone other than a police officer seeking to enter the premises for the purpose of enforcing the regulation.

Lord Whitty: The issuing of authorisation notices for enforcement of Environmental Protection (Restriction on the Use of Lead Shot) (England) Regulations 1999 (S.I. 1999/2170) has been delegated to an official of my department.
	An individual seeking to enter the premises for the purpose of enforcing the regulation Environmental Protection (Restriction on the Use of Lead Shot) (England) Regulations 1999 (S.I. 1999/2170) would be required to show the authorisation notice from the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions.

Lead Shot Restriction: Entry to Private Premises

Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will ensure that Parliament is notified as soon as practicable after the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions authorises anyone other than a police officer to exercise powers of entry into private premises for the purpose of enforcing the Environmental Protection (Restriction on the Use of Lead Shot) (England) Regulations 1999 (S.I. 1999/2170).

Lord Whitty: As we have previously stated, there may be very rare occasions where another competent organisation such as the Environment Agency or English Nature is better placed to enforce the regulation, and the regulation needs to contain this element of flexibility.
	If circumstances arise that the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions authorises another competent organisation other than a police officer to exercise powers of entry into private premises for the purpose of enforcing the Environmental Protection (Restriction on the Use of Lead Shot) (England) Regulations 1999 (S.I. 1999/2170), a copy of that authorisation notice will be placed in the House Libraries as soon as is practicable after that notice has been issued.

Lead Shot Restriction and the Devolved Authorities

Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What are their criteria for imposing consistency throughout the United Kingdom in environmental and health regulations, given that the protection of wildfowl from lead poisoning applies only in England.

Lord Whitty: It is inherent in the principle of devolution that there will not necessarily be consistency of regulation throughout the United Kingdom and that measures will not necessarily be implemented on a consistent timetable.
	All the devolved administrations are responsible for various matters concerning environmental protection, though in many cases the framework provided by Community law, or by other international organisations, will provide a consistency of effect and of timing between the regulations.
	As regards legislation and the Environmental Protection (Restriction on the Use of Lead Shot) (England) Regulations 1999 (S.I 1999/2170), the decision on whether to implement similar legislation in Wales and Scotland is a matter for the devolved authorities. The devolved authorities are currently considering the implementation of lead shot legislation.

Arable Area Payments Scheme: Retrospection

The Earl of Courtown: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will confirm that the new rules concerning 2 metre boundary limits under Part I of the Arable Area Payments Scheme will not be retrospective.

Baroness Hayman: We would not expect to make adjustments to previous years' claims in cases where a field margin which was found on inspection in 2000 to be over 2 metres wide would previously have been considered eligible under the Arable Area Payments Scheme.

CS Disinfectant

The Countess of Mar: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the motto of the Veterinary Medicines Directorate "Assuring the Safety, Quality and Efficacy of Veterinary Medicines" is consistent with the performance of that organisation in establishing the safety, quality and effectiveness of CS Disinfectant as an additive to the organophosphate sheep dip Top Clip Gold Shield before the disinfectant was withdrawn by the manufacturers.

Baroness Hayman: All veterinary medicinal products must satisfy the criteria of safety, quality and efficacy established by the Medicines Act 1968 and which are now central to the authorisation procedure laid down in Directive 81/851/EEC. This product, which had a licence of right, was included in the review of sheep dip licences in 1992 and CS Disinfectant was voluntarily removed from the product, in common with phenolic compounds in other sheep dips.

Aged Hospital Patients: Statistics

Lord Faulkner of Worcester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many patients in National Health Service hospitals are aged (a) over 90; (b) over 80; and (c) over 70; and how these figures compare with 1990, 1980, 1970 and 1960.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The information is given in the table. Data for 1960 are not available.
	
		Number of Deaths and Discharges/admissions for selected age groups--NHS hospitals
		
			   Number of Patients 
			 Discharges and deaths  65 and over 75 and over 
			 1970 England and Wales 860,920 386,340 
			   70 and over 80 and over 90 and over 
			 1980 England 995,720 361,720 53,620 
			 Admissions  70 and over 80 and over 90 and over 
			 1989-90 England 1,403,769 580,082 70,593 
			 1997-98* England 2,393,274 1,003,300 157,000 
		
	
	Figures from 1980 onward are for England only. Other matters are for the Welsh National Assembly and the Scottish Executive.
	Notes:
	HIPE and HES data do not provide the number of people treated, as patients could have been discharged (HIPE), or can be admitted (HES) more than once within a given year.
	England and Wales cannot be separately identified in the 1970 data.
	Data for 1970 cannot be aggregated to the requested age-groups.
	* Figures for 1997-98 are provisional; no adjustments have yet been made for missing records or invalid/unknown diagnoses.
	Source:
	Department of Health, Hospital In-patient Enquiry (HIPE), and Hospital Episode Statistics (HES).

Treasury Statutory Instruments

Lord Tebbit: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many new regulations have been made by the Treasury since May 1997; and how many have been repealed.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: It is not possible to tell which of the statutory instruments that have been made since May 1997 amend existing regulations, repeal existing regulations or are deregulatory in their effect, except at disproportionate cost.

Business Sponsorship of Government Activity: Tax Treatment

The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How commercial sponsorship of government activity is treated in tax terms by the Inland Revenue.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: If expenditure on business sponsorship is revenue expenditure incurred wholly and exclusively for business purposes, the expense is deductible when calculating the sponsor's business profit for tax purposes.

Inward Investment to UK

Lord Pearson of Rannoch: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Cumulatively, over the six year period 1993-98 inclusive, which 10 countries were the leading inward investors into the United Kingdom; and what percentage of total cumulative inward investment did each country provide over that period (in both cases excluding investment in real estate).

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Director of the Office for National Statistics, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter to Lord Pearson of Rannoch from the Economic Statistics Director of the Office for National Statistics, Mr John Kidgell, dated 11 February 2000.
	The Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has been asked to reply to your parliamentary Question on the 10 leading inward investing countries into the United Kingdom over the six years 1993 to 1998. I am replying in Dr Holt's absence.
	The only geographical breakdown available is for direct investment. The attached table shows the 10 leading countries in terms of cumulative flows of net direct investment over 1993 to 1998 inclusive, along with the percentage they contribute to the total cumulative net inward direct investment over that period. The figures exclude pure real estate investments by foreign companies.
	
		
			 Country Cumulative inward net* direct investment flows 1993-98 £ million Percentage of total net* inward direct investment into UK 
			 USA 54,893 53 
			 Switzerland 16,206 16 
			 Netherlands 6,659 6 
			 Germany 4,980 5 
			 France 4,775 5 
			 Australia 3,304 3 
			 Irish Republic 2,274 2 
			  
			 Belgium &  Luxembourg (BLEU) 1,633 2 
			 Bermuda 1,630 2 
			 Norway 1,162 1 
			 Total net* inward  direct investment into  UK 103,162 
		
	
	*Net of disinvestment (i.e. net of flows from UK subsidiaries to their foreign parents).

Inward Investment to UK

Lord Pearson of Rannoch: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Cumulatively, over the six-year period 1993-98 inclusive, what proportion did total inward investment from overseas (excluding investment in real estate) bear to total Gross Domestic Fixed Capital Formation (excluding dwellings and transfer costs on land and buildings).

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Director of the Office for National Statistics, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter to Lord Pearson of Rannoch from the Economic Statistics Director of the Office for National Statistics, Mr John Kidgell, dated 11 February 2000.
	The Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has been asked to reply to your parliamentary Question on the proportion of investment income from abroad (excluding investment in real estate) relative to gross fixed capital formation (excluding dwellings and transfer costs). I am replying in Dr Holt's absence.
	The data requested are shown in the table attached and are consistent with those published in the December Balance of Payments First Release and National Accounts First Release. You should note that data for inward investment includes portfolio investment and other financial flows, whereas gross fixed capital formation does not include the acquisition of financial assets.
	
		Inward Investment and Gross Fixed Capital Investment 1993-98 -- (£ million at current prices)
		
			A B A/B 
			 Total Transfer Costs of  GDFCF 
			 Gross non-produced assets  less 
			 Fixeddwellings etc 
			Inward Capital Public Private  NPQX 
			Investment Formation Sector Sector  -EQBY 
			HBNSDwellings -DFDF 
			  HBNS CGLO -CGLO NPQX DLXQ DFDF EQBY -DLXQ 
			 1993 163,293 460 162,833 101,230 376 17,124 5,089 78,641 207% 
			 1994 187,575 932 186,643 208,620 725 35,409 10,297 162,189 115% 
			 1995 303,824 1,156 302,668 324,980 851 54,193 15,519 254,417 119% 
			 1996 524,765 1,769 522,996 450,655 984 74,660 22,584 352,427 148% 
			 1997 768,425 2,619 765,806 584,808 1,298 96,678 30,183 456,649 168% 
			 1998 885,600 3,317 882,283 734,065 1,315 121,441 38,002 573,307 154% 
		
	
	Source: NPQX, DLXQ, DFDF, EQBY 1995-98 UK Economic Accounts No. 28, 1993 and 1994 ONS Databanks.
	Source: Inward Investment, See Background note 1.

Inward Investment to UK

Lord Pearson of Rannoch: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Cumulatively, over the six-year period 1993-98 inclusive, what proportion did total inward investment from overseas (excluding investment in real estate) bear to United Kingdom gross domestic product.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Director of the Office for National Statistics, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter to Lord Pearson of Rannoch from the Economic Statistics Director of the Office for National Statistics, Mr John Kidgell, dated 11 February 2000.
	The Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has been asked to reply to your parliamentary Question on the proportion of investment income from abroad (excluding investment in real estate) relative to the United Kingdom's gross domestic product. I am replying in Dr Holt's absence.
	The data requested are shown in the table below and are consistent with those published in the December Balance of Payments First Release and National Accounts First Release. The cumulative total for inward investment (excluding real estate) includes direct, portfolio and other investment.
	
		
			  Cumulative inward investment (excluding investment in real estate) Cumulative Gross Domestic Product at current prices Inward investment (excluding investment in real estate) as a proportion of Gross Domestic Product 
			  £ million £ million % 
			 1993 162,833 637,817 25.5 
			 1994 186,643 1,313,853 14.2 
			 1995 302,668 2,026,401 14.9 
			 1996 522,996 2,781,002 18.8 
			 1997 765,806 3,584,891 21.4 
			 1998 882,283 4,432,311 19.9 
		
	
	Source:
	Office for National Statistics.

Film Industry: Working Conditions for Women

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What meetings have been held by the Minister for Women with the Minister for Film since 7 December 1999 to discuss how conditions in the film and broadcasting industries affect women in particular; and what action will be taken by the Government as a result of those meetings.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The two Ministers have not met since 7 December to discuss these issues. My honourable friend the Minister for Tourism, Film and Broadcasting attended the annual awards ceremony of the Women in Film and Television organisation on 7 December, when their report on working conditions was launched, and discussed the implications with its authors on 25 January. She is taking these issues forward with the film and broadcasting industries and in consultation with my noble friend the Minister for Women, and with Women in Film and Television.

Tourist Attractions: Closures

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is their response to the evidence in the report, Sightseeing in the UK 1998 (published by the English Tourism Council), that for the first time more attractions are recorded as having closed than those opened as new businesses.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: This is an issue we are watching closely and which we have asked the English Tourism Council to address when developing its strategy to help plan for the longer-term success of the attractions sector. ETC will be working in partnership with the attractions industry and proposes to deliver the strategy to government by September 2000.

Sterling: Values

Lord Swinfen: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will give in tabular form the values of the pound sterling against the United States dollar, the Japanese yen and the Euro since 1 January 1999.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Director of the Office for National Statistics, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter to Lord Swinfen from the Director of Social Statistics of the Office for National Statistics, Mr John Pullinger, dated 14 February 2000.
	The Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has been asked to reply to your parliamentary Question on exchange rates. I am replying in Dr Holt's absence.
	The values of the pound sterling against the United States dollar, the Japanese yen and the Euro are given in the table below. The rates shown are average daily rates (excluding bank holidays and weekends) as recorded by the Bank of England at around 4 p.m. each day.
	
		
			   Japanese  
			  US $ Yen Euro 
			 1999 January 1.6509 187.07 1.4236 
			 1999 February 1.6276 189.69 1.4534 
			 1999 March 1.6220 193.82 1.4902 
			 1999 April 1.6105 192.61 1.5051 
			 1999 May 1.6154 197.22 1.5186 
			 1999 June 1.5950 192.57 1.5374 
			 1999 July 1.5748 188.11 1.5205 
			 1999 August 1.6073 182.19 1.5146 
			 1999 September 1.6243 173.74 1.5458 
			 1999 October 1.6571 175.66 1.5490 
			  
			 1999 November 1.6214 169.69 1.5706 
			 1999 December 1.6132 165.70 1.5953 
			 2000 January 1.6402 172.89 1.6201

House of Lords Authorities

Lord Barnett: asked the Chairman of Committees:
	Who are "the House authorities".

Lord Boston of Faversham: Depending on the context, the House authorities include the Chairman of Committees, the Clerk of the Parliaments, Black Rod and the members of the Usual Channels.

Homeless Prisoners: Discharge Grant

Lord Dholakia: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether, when homeless prisoners are given the higher rate of discharge grant, prison governors are required to fund this out of their prison's previously agreed budget or whether this expenditure is funded separately from a central source.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: Discharge grant is paid to help prisoners meet their immediate needs on release. Whether the grant is paid at the standard rate for those with a settled home to return to, or at the higher rate to those who have no settled home, the funds are taken from each prison governor's agreed annual budget. Governors do not have recourse to a separate central source of funding for this purpose.

Women in the Fire Service

Lord Christopher: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What targets they are setting for the employment of women in the operational fire service.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: My honourable friend the Under-Secretary of State at the Home Office (Mr O'Brien) announced on 11 February targets for the recruitment, retention and career progression of women in the fire service. By 2009, the Government expect 15 per cent of the operational fire service (whole-time and retained firefighters and their officers) in England and Wales to be women and for them to remain in the service and be promoted at the same rate as their male colleagues.
	At present, the number of women in the whole-time operational fire service is only 1 per cent. A recent report from Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Fire Services has confirmed that there is no possible justification for such low numbers. The target is deliberately challenging and will require brigades to take steps to encourage a more open inclusive culture and to revise procedures and practices which the Chief Inspector's thematic review found to be potentially discriminatory.

General Pinochet

Lord Sawyer: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they will make a decision on the case of Senator Pinochet.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: My right honourable friend the Home Secretary will do so as soon as possible, but not before the High Court gives judgment in the current judicial review proceedings. My right honourable friend the Home Secretary proposes to give notice to the parties to the case on the day before he expects to make his decision, and will notify the parties and another place immediately when the decision has been taken. It also remains his intention to make a full oral statement in another place when he is clear that it is appropriate to do so.

Parole Board

Lord Cocks of Hartcliffe: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they intend to review the work of the Parole Board.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: The Parole Board is an executive Non-Departmental Public Body, established on 1 July 1996. The Government are committed to regular review of Non-Departmental Public Bodies, and have decided to conduct a review of the board during the current year. The review will incorporate the requirements of the "Quinquennial Review" process. The review will also look at the scope for improvements in the efficiency and effectiveness of the Parole Board and the wider parole process (for both determinate and life sentenced prisoners).
	The review has the following terms of reference:
	Within the context of a required Quinquennial Review of Parole Board functions, and the requirements of Better Quality Services and the Civil Service modernisation programme:
	to identify the key issues facing the parole and lifer review processes and the Parole Board over the next five years; and as part of the Quinquennial Review programme, to consider whether the functions of the Parole Board continue to be required, and, if so, whether a Non-Departmental Public Body is the best option for delivery.
	To recommend changes to the parole and lifer processes which ensure that:
	existing procedures are made as efficient and effective as possible;
	new casework is dealt with efficiently and effectively and that demanding performance targets and measures are established with clear plans for delivery stated;
	wider developments, including advancements in information technology, are integrated successfully into the parole and lifer review processes; and
	to recommend necessary changes to the Parole Board's status, organisation, structure and funding.

Crime Reduction Targets

Lord Cocks of Hartcliffe: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What crime reduction targets police authorities will be expected to set over the next five years under the Best Value regime.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: All police authorities and police forces have been told that statutory guidance under the Best Value regime (Section 5(7) of the Local Government Act 1999) will indicate that specific targets should be set by all police authorities for domesitc burglary and for vehicle crime. In addition, five forces are being asked to set a target for robbery.
	The table shows the five-year targets for each force area, based on our latest information. It will be for each police authority to decide what targets should finally be set and published.
	
		Proposed Five Year Crime Reduction Targets
		
			  Vehicle Crime   Burglary Dwelling   Robbery 
			  % Change   % Change   % Change 
			  Apr-Mar 1998-99 Oct-Sep 1998-99 Apr-Mar 1998-99 Oct-Sep 1998-99 Apr-Mar 1998-99 Oct-Sep 1998-99 
			 Avon and Somerset 30% 28% 29% 26% -- -- 
			 Bedfordshire 30% 35% 20% 32% -- -- 
			 Cambridgeshire 29% 28% 29% 28% -- -- 
			 Cheshire 14% 9% 19% 14% -- -- 
			 City of London 10% 13% 18% 3% -- -- 
			 Cleveland 30% 26% 20% 19% -- -- 
			 Cumbria 41% 36% 22% 23% -- -- 
			 Derbyshire 33% 31% 30% 31% -- -- 
			 Devon and Cornwall 33% 31% 34% 31% -- -- 
			 Dorset 31% 27% 26% 21% -- -- 
			 Durham 35% 29% 20% 16% -- -- 
			 Dyfed-Powys 30% 24% 30% 19% -- -- 
			 Essex1 10% 10% 10% 10% -- -- 
			 Gloucestershire 25% 22% 25% 27% -- -- 
			 Greater Manchester 34% 33% 25% 19% 10% 15% 
			 Gwent 30% 30% 10% 14% -- -- 
			 Hampshire 27% 23% 17% 10% -- -- 
			 Hertfordshire1 14% 210% 14% 16% -- -- 
			 Humberside 32% 30% 23% 23% -- -- 
			 Kent 27% 16% 32% 26% -- -- 
			 Lancashire 30% 26% 34% 30% -- -- 
			 Leicestershire 34% 30% 30% 24% -- -- 
			 Lincolnshire 18% 17% 37% 40% -- -- 
			 Merseyside 30% 33% 12% 13% 10% 12% 
			 Metropolitan Police1 31% 35% 310% 310% 3 415% 3 415% 
			 Norfolk 14% 13% 18% 17% -- -- 
			 North Wales 28% 31% 26% 22% -- -- 
			 North Yorkshire 25% 20% 44% 47% -- -- 
			 Northamptonshire 32% 30% 24% 26% -- -- 
			 Northumbria 34% 29% 39% 33% -- -- 
			 Nottinghamshire 47% 44% 64% 63% -- -- 
			 South Wales 34% 35% 29% 27% -- -- 
			 South Yorkshire 30% 28% 34% 34% -- -- 
			 Staffordshire 35% 33% 35% 29% -- -- 
			 Suffolk 10% 14% 0% -4% -- -- 
			 Surrey1 14% 15% 11% 10% -- -- 
			 Sussex 20% 22% 37% 34% -- -- 
			 Thames Valley 30% 32% 40% 44% -- -- 
			 Warwickshire 15% 16% 20% 27% -- -- 
			 West Mercia 10% 7% 14% 13% -- -- 
			 West Midlands 30% 34% 23% 23% 34% 45% 
			 West Yorkshire 37% 34% 42% 40% 22% 23% 
			 Wiltshire 14% 18% 10% 11% -- -- 
			  
			 National figure5 30% 29% 26% 24% 12% 19% 
		
	
	1 Contains areas affected by boundary chabnges from 1 April 2000.
	2 Subject to verification.
	3 Based on projected recorded crime from April 1999-March 2000.
	4 Figure refers to street crime.
	5 National figures subject to verification against police authorities, Best Value performance plans.